Podcast episode "Should People Get Blood Work Annually?" hosted by JJ Virgin. The episode answers a listener question about annual blood work with guest Dr. Steven Gundry, who recommends targeted testing (noting fasting insulin as his single most informative test for energy, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein for inflammation, and attention to triglyceride levels). Gundry states he monitors patients every 3–6 months and warns that triglycerides above 70 may indicate insulin resistance. The episode also includes multiple sponsor reads (Earth Breeze, Wayfair, Monarch, Dick's, Chrysler) and a promotional segment by Anne Bogle about her book-focused podcast.
Questions this episode answers
A fasting insulin level.
C-reactive protein (CRP), often measured as high-sensitivity CRP.
A triglyceride level above 70 (mg/dL).
Every three to six months.
Chapters
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Every holiday starts at Dick's. Should People get Blood Work Annually? This is JJ Virgin four time New York Times bestselling author, celebrity nutrition expert, and Fitness hall of Famer. I've been on a lifelong quest for answers to the toughest health questions and now I'm sharing what I found with you. Welcome to Ask the Health Expert. Shawna from Instagram asks, should people get blood work annually? Hey, it's JJ and today I have Dr. Steven Gundry with me to answer this question. Now you may know him from his New York Times bestselling books the Plant Paradox and the Longevity Paradox. And next up, the Energy Paradox. He's a cardiothoracic surgeon who retired to focus on helping patients not need him by using nutrition and lifestyle strategies. Plus, he loves dogs, A man after my own heart, and swears that owning a dog and walking a dog is one of the key aspects to longevity. We'll be right back with the answer, so stay with me. Hey JJ Virgin here. Okay, real talk. So often the holidays sneak up on me, travel, gifts, hosting, you know, all the things and suddenly it's like, wait, who spent what and where? And I know I'm not the only one who's looked at a bill in January and thought, wow, that escalated quickly. If you want to keep your finances under control this holiday season, you need to be using Monarch. If you it's rated the Wall Street Journal's best budgeting app of 2025. Monarch is the all in one personal finance tool that brings your entire financial life together in one clean interface. On your laptop or on your phone. Monarch lets you link everything and gives you real time visibility so you're not shocked later. Right now, I've been checking the holiday spending category so I don't accidentally start the new year with that dreaded debt hangover. And honestly, just seeing everything laid out is already helping me stay more aware. This season, Monarch does the heavy lifting. It links your accounts in minutes, gives you smart categorization and super clear visuals. Yes, that end of year reset could be a real goal. This time, don't let financial opportunity slip through the cracks. Use the code virgin@monarch.com in your browser for half off your first year. That's 50% off your first year. @monarch.com with the code Virgin the holidays.
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Yes and no I do blood work every three months to six months on all my patients, but I also teach third year family practice residents who rotate through my clinic and I can tell you that the typical doctor's office blood work is inadequate to pick up what's really important in terms of people's energy levels. And I've said, and I'll say it again, that if I had one blood test and one only to tell people their fate and to tell people what their energy level is going to be, it would be a fasting insulin level. And none of the third year family practice residents have ever heard of measuring a fasting insulin level and it's not on a standard blood test. There is a fasting glucose that quite frankly, unless it's completely wildly out of range will miss underlying energy problems. Also highly specific, highly sensitive or heart specific C reactive protein CRP is usually not on most standard blood tests, but it is least a very good starting point for looking at levels of inflammation. And I call C reactive protein crap in my office because it makes you feel like crap when it's elevated and that's actually this inflammation. And so if you are listening to this and have an elevated C reactive protein, I can guarantee you that you have a leaky gut or a leaky mouth and further investigation is needed. So get the right blood test. Follow them closely. One last tip. If you have a triglyceride level on a standard blood test above 70, you have insulin resistance and you ought to be suffering from a loss of energy and that's considered a normal level. But I've written about this, published papers about this. Triglycerides of 70 is a warning sign and your doctor doesn't know that it's a warning sign.
This is JJ with Ask the Health Expert. I do this five times a week so make sure you never miss a show by going to subscribetojay.com.
Hello listeners, this is Anne Bogle, author, blogger and creator of the podcast what Should I Read next? Since 2016, I've been helping readers bring more joy and delight into their reading lives. Every week I tag all things Books and Reading with a guest and guide them in discovering their next read. They share three books they love, one book they don't, and what they've been reading lately, and I recommend three titles they may enjoy reading next. Guests have said our conversations are like therapy, troubleshooting issues that have plagued their reading lives for years and possibly the rest of their lives as well. And of course, recommending books that meet the moment. Whether they are looking for deep introspection to spur or encourage a life change or a frothy page turner to help them escape the stresses of work, school, everything, you'll learn something about yourself as a reader and you'll definitely walk away confident to choose your next read, with a whole list of new books and authors to try. So join us each Tuesday for what Should I Read Next? Subscribe now wherever you're listening to this podcast and Visit our website whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com to find out more.
